


Cries in the Moonlight

by eena



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Challenge Response, Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-18
Updated: 2007-04-18
Packaged: 2019-02-05 17:20:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12798870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eena/pseuds/eena
Summary: Response to the Quickie Challenge, Pairing #111.





	Cries in the Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Haven, the archivist: This story was originally archived at [Fandom Haven Story Archive (FHSA)](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Fandom_Haven_Story_Archive), was scheduled to shut down at the end of 2016. To preserve the archive, I began working with the OTW to transfer the stories to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. If you are this creator and the work hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Fandom Haven Story Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/fhsa/profile).

  
Author's notes: Sequel to "Laughter Through The Grass", 4th in series.  


* * *

"You're leaving."

 

Willow started at the sound of his voice, but relaxed almost immediately. After so many months, she had grown accustomed to his sudden comings and goings. She couldn't for the life of her ever hear his approach, that Elvish speed and grace made it impossible, so she stopped trying after a little while.

 

"Yeah," she replied, though he didn't need her to confirm it. He already knew what was going on, he could probably see everything going on at Giles's Manor from his woods. All the shouting, the packing, and the other general chaos hadn't escaped his notice. But she wondered if he knew why it was all happening.

 

She turned around to face him, a smile crossing her face at the sight of him standing amongst the trees. He still looked the same, she supposed he always would. It was oddly comforting, to know that he would always remain this way, something that would finally be constant in this ever-shifting world of hers.

 

He tilted his face slightly, and gave her that small smile of his. She grinned ever wider and followed him deeper in the woods. Giles would come get her when the time came; for now she could talk with her Elvish companion and perhaps explain a few things while she was at it.

 

"I'm going home," she said after a few minutes of walking. He walked alongside her, his eyes focused on the terrain in front of them, but she knew that he heard every word she said. "Something's happening . . . I can't quite explain it. It's like-"

 

"The earth itself has bared its teeth and is threatening to devour everything whole," he finished for her. Willow stopped right in her tracks, eyes wide with shock as she looked at him. He turned to look at her, another small smile crossing his face. "You think you are the only one who had felt such a thing? Come now Willow, I thought you came here to learn you are not above all others. There are others as strong, and stronger than you."

 

"I know that," she muttered. "I just didn't think that anyone had seen it like I had. But you did, you saw its teeth?"

 

"I can feel the uneasiness," he replied. "It is all around. It comes from the trees, the animals-it's everywhere. There is a great battle on the horizon."

 

"Yippee," Willow mumbled. "Another apocalypse, I'm getting so tired of those."

 

"You are not the only one," he said with a smirk. "It seems that this world is always threatening to fall into darkness. It has been that way since the days of my youth, and it continues to be that way now. But as a very wise gardener once told me, while there may always be darkness, there will also always be the heroes to fight it back, to fight it for all the goodness that is in this world, and to keep it safe. You and your friends, perhaps you are the new heroes."

 

"I'm not so sure about me anymore," Willow sighed. "I don't know if I have it in me to be a hero anymore. I'm too frightened that I'll have a relapse. I just don't want to hurt them again."

 

"There is no guarantee against hurt, not in this world," he told her. "That is the risk we all take, when we choose to live and love in this life. But even now, when you are afraid, you know you have to go."

 

"What if they don't want me there?" Willow asked in a little voice. "What if we can't get past it?"

 

"From what I have heard of them, and how you speak of them, it seems unlikely that they would shun you," he answered simply. "But again, nothing is certain. It is a risk you must take, to accomplish that task which has been put upon you. You know this."

 

"Yeah," Willow said tiredly. "You're right. You're always right. You're just chalk full of wisdom, aren't you?"

 

He smiled and said nothing, only continuing his way into the forest. She followed him, mindful of the roots and rocks everywhere. They walked on in silence for a while, watching as night fell and the moon rose high in the sky.

 

"I also have someplace to go," he said, his voice breaking the companionable silence. "The time has come for me to leave my woods and do that which I was commissioned to do."

 

"And what's that?" she asked.

 

"To watch over this land," he replied vaguely. "To do what I can, to fight back the darkness that is coming. And it is coming, Willow. Whatever you imagine this evil to be, it is much worse than you can grasp."

 

"That doesn't really help with the nerves," she told him with a tense giggle. "Couldn't you be more reassuring?"

 

"How would I do that?" he asked with a hint of a smile.

 

"I don't know, be more like Giles, I guess," she shrugged. "He's really good at that, and he can even do it without sugar-coating it for us."

 

"Then I think I should leave it to him," he said with a chuckle. "He is a good man, your friend Giles."

 

"One of the best," she agreed.

 

"I knew men like him, once," he continued. "I thought I would never see their like again. But now I feel that I shall."

 

"You're awfully cryptic today," she noted with some amusement. "Are you at least going to tell me where you're going?"

 

"To gather some of my older friends," he replied vaguely once more. "We also have much to do before this evil is put to rest."

 

"You're never coming back here, are you?" she asked, though she knew the answer.

 

"Are you?" he asked in reply. Willow laughed again, though it sounded bitter even to her ears. She shook her head and looked up to the sky. She gazed at the moon, blinking back tears of sorrow.

 

"So, it's goodbye for good, isn't it?" she asked hoarsely.

 

"No, not for good," he answered. "We will see each other again, I know we will. But it will be some time from now. We both have much to do."

 

"I going to miss all this," Willow mumbled. "You know, coming into the woods and seeing you here. Spending all day with you, just running around and having fun-I'm going to miss it."

 

"You will have those days again," he told her. "It may not be with me, but you will have them again. You're not destined to be lonely forever, Willow. A bright future awaits you, you just have to go get it."

 

"You never stop with the motivating speeches, huh?" she turned her eyes away from the moon and smiled at him. "I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't met you, Legolas."

 

He only smiled and began to walk once more. She looked up and saw that they were heading back towards the manor by now. Had it really been that long since she had first departed for the woods? She knew that it had been hours ago, but right now, it didn't feel like it had been that long. And as they drew closer to the edge of the woods, she knew it hadn't been nearly long enough.

 

"I wish you a safe journey home, Willow Rosenburg," he said softly.

 

"And I wish you a safe one, wherever you're going," she returned with a s ad smile. She looked at him remorsefully, and then darted forward to give him a quick hug. "Thank you, for everything."

 

"You are welcome," he replied, patting her cheek once in comfort. "Don't cry Willow; I told you we would see each other again. I do not break my promises."

 

"Then I guess I have something to look forward to," she said warmly. "Goodbye for now, Legolas."

 

He smiled and nodded. "Goodbye,for now."

 

~*~


End file.
